There is a definite difference between homemade baked beans and those out of a can. When you make them from scratch, the beans maintain more of their texture and flavor, the notes of good-quality molasses can be detected.
Note that using full-flavored molasses and dark brown sugar will yield stronger, more deeply flavored baked beans. Feel free to play a bit with the amount of molasses and brown sugar you add.
Ingredients
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1 pound navy beans, or Great Northern beans
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1/4 pound salt pork, or bacon
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1 onion
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1/3 cup molasses
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1/3 cup brown sugar
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1 tablespoon dry ground mustard
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3 cups boiling water
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1 teaspoon fine sea salt, plus more to taste
Steps to Make It
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Gather the ingredients.
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Rinse the beans and pick them over, removing any truly shriveled specimens or bits of rock or grit. Put the beans in a large bowl and cover them with cool water. Let them soak overnight.
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Preheat an oven to 250 F or get out a slow cooker and set it to high.
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Chop the salt pork or bacon and put half of it in the bottom of a Dutch oven, heavy pot, or the slow cooker.
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Drain the beans and put half of them on top of the bacon.
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Peel and chop the onion and put it on top of the beans.
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Add the remaining beans and top of them with the remaining salt pork or bacon.
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In a medium bowl or large measuring cup, combine the molasses, brown sugar, and mustard with 3 cups boiling water. Stir to dissolve the sugar and mustard.
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Pour the mixture over the beans.
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Cover the pot or slow cooker and cook the beans for 4 hours. Check on them; if the beans are tender to the bite, stir in the salt.
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Cover again and cook for another 2 hours, removing the lid after the first hour (you can leave the lid on if you prefer soupier beans). The beans should be tender and the flavors fully blended.
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You can serve the beans right away, but something even more magical happens to their flavor if you let them cool and reheat them the next day.
Nutrition Facts (per serving) | |
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263 | Calories |
12g | Fat |
34g | Carbs |
6g | Protein |
Nutrition Facts | |
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Servings: 8 | |
Amount per serving | |
Calories | 263 |
% Daily Value* | |
Total Fat 12g | 15% |
Saturated Fat 4g | 21% |
Cholesterol 12mg | 4% |
Sodium 656mg | 29% |
Total Carbohydrate 34g | 12% |
Dietary Fiber 6g | 22% |
Total Sugars 19g | |
Protein 6g | |
Vitamin C 1mg | 6% |
Calcium 82mg | 6% |
Iron 2mg | 12% |
Potassium 469mg | 10% |
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice. |
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